SIMPLES AND SIMPLERS. 221 



planet. The most of the herbs in use by the ancient 

 simplers were mere cordials. There were others of an 

 entirely inert character that became famous from certain 

 marvellous powers attributed to them by astrology. One 

 of the most remarkable of these was the blue vervain, a 

 conspicuous plant in fallow grounds and by-ways, flower- 

 ing in August. So great was the reputation of this plant 

 as a cure, that it bore the name of " simpler's joy," though 

 now excluded as worthless from all standard pharmaco- 

 poeias. The vervain was tied with a yard of satin rib- 

 bon around the neck, where it was to remain until the 

 patient was cured. It was to be gathered at the rising of 

 the dog-star, when neither the sun nor the moon shone, 

 and with the left hand only. When thus collected it 

 would vanquish fevers and other distempers, was an anti- 

 dote to the bite of serpents, and a charm to conciliate 

 friends after estrangement. 



The healing virtues of many other herbs were ascribed 

 to the planet under whose ascendency they were to be 

 collected, and not to any intrinsic properties belonging 

 to them. It was this belief in planetary influences that 

 gave rise to the custom among physicians of prefixing 

 to their recipes a symbol of the planet under whose light 

 the ingredients were to be collected. A mistake in attend- 

 ing to the planetary hour would render these substances 

 entirely inert. This fact may account for the vast num- 

 ber of inert remedies which have been popular in all ages. 

 There was hardly a plant in medicinal use that was not 

 believed to be under the auspices of some planet, and 

 which must be gathered in strict accordance with the pre- 

 scriptions of medical astrology. 



In medical history nothing is more remarkable than 

 the pertinacity with which mankind, through hundreds of 

 ages, will cling to a supposed remedy, after it has been 

 repeatedly tried and condemned as worthless by physi- 



